Suspension apparatus and method for contact wire at crest of a track vertical curve

ABSTRACT

A device and method for suspending or holding down an overhead contact wire used for supplying power to electrical railway vehicles and trolley buses at the crest of a vertical curve where the contact wire has an abrupt change in line angle. The device smoothes out the abrupt angle into a curve, parabolic in form and of a radius that is smooth for trouble-free operation of current collectors while maintaining elastic suspension. Contact wire uplift continues while passing through the device so that there is an avoidance of hard spots which cause uneven and accelerated contact wire wear. The device can further be used at the crest of a vertical curve to maintain contact wire alignment where a horizontal curve with curve pull is encountered concurrently.

This application is a divisional of my prior application entitledVertical Curve Rail and Method, application Ser. No. 13/506,741, filedMay 15, 2012, now pending

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention resides in the field of overhead contact systemssuspension apparatus and more particularly relates to an apparatus andmethod used where a contact line is subjected to an abrupt change inline angle at a suspension point such as at the crest or trough of avertical curve of the associated railway track or roadway but can alsobe attributed to a required change in contact wire height at lowclearance areas such as bridge overpasses or tunnels where the change incontact wire height must be achieved over a relatively short distance.

2. History of the Prior Art

Electrically powered vehicles such as streetcars, trolley buses, lightrail vehicles or electric locomotives utilize a current collectingdevice such as a trolley pole or a pantograph which rides on top of thevehicle and contacts the trolley contact wire of the overhead contactline. Where the overhead contact line must be either lowered or raisedin height over a short distance, an abrupt change in direction of thecontact wire occurs and the force from this line angle causes thecontact wire to be pulled down at the crest of a vertical curve orpushed up at the trough of the vertical curve whether or not theassociated track or roadway is vertically horizontal or horizontallycurved. The vertical curve rail counteracts the applied forces in thecontact wire to hold the wire in a position allowing the currentcollector to travel along it without erratic movement so that bounce andelectrical arcing are prevented. At the crest or trough of a verticalcurve the contact wire forms an abrupt angle that the current collectormust negotiate. The angle can sometimes be smoothed out using amessenger wire for crests along the curve where the individual catenaryhangers or dropper wires attached to it lift the contact wire at closeintervals to reduce the overall angle to a series of very small anglesthat are negotiable for the current collector. At troughs along thecurve, for some types of applications, the contact wire is not suspendedfor several spans so that it sags with a curve of such degree that thecurrent collector can negotiate the curve as the abruptness of anglechange is substantially reduced. Another method of smoothing out thetrough curve is to add weight to the contact wire so that it has morethan normal weight over a short span and sags in a similar manner as thelong span and the weight counteracts the lifting force of the angle sothat equilibrium is achieved. Where these mitigation methods cannot beemployed, the abrupt angle is not allowed to be smoothed out and remainsin place through the use of hold down or hold up spans so that anerratic operation of the current collector occurs where bounce, arcingand accelerated wear of the contact wire result. If the speed of thevehicle is great enough, the current collector may skip off the wire atthe trough curve or be accelerated upwards at great force at the crestcurve causing wear of the contact wire and the rubbing of the surface ofthe current collector due to increased frictional forces. The contactwire must be held in place at these locations, and either span wires orbracket arms are employed to suspend the wire at the crest of a verticalcurve or hold it down at the trough of a vertical curve.

Various inventions in the prior art have addressed these difficulties.For example, U.S. Pat. No. 393,317 to Van Depoele discloses an archedsuspender where a bar is attached to an arch, and the bar has an earattached to it which holds the trolley wire contact line. The bar isflexible only in the horizontal plane where it acts as a pullover tohold the contact wire in position for horizontal curves and does not actin the vertical plane. U.S. Pat. No. 499,167 to Hunter details a trolleywire curve where at curves, the trolley wire is carried about the curvewith suitable bends held in place by stay wires also referred to aspulloffs. Directly below the contact wire, a second wire is suspendedand is connected to the main wire by ears. The suspended secondary wireacts in the horizontal plane to conform to the angle produced by bendingat each pulloff or stay wire and does not act in the vertical plane nordoes it provide an elastic suspension because components are rigidlyattached. U.S. Pat. No. 584,911 to Westinghouse makes use of asupplemental wire attached to a suspension point and connected to thetrolley wire contact line at two points, each on one side of thesuspension span. This is done to reduce the angle formed at thesuspension point so that the vertical curve at the suspension point isreduced. However, the projected line is level and not at a verticalcurve of the track or roadway and the angle produced to which thesupplemental wire is allegedly used to reduce is a normal angle producedby the sag of the wire. This invention is not adaptable or compatiblewith the angle and suspension created at a vertical curve and isdesigned to keep the trolley wire contact line level and of consistentheight rigidly for a fixed vertical trolley pole current collector thatis 90 degrees to the contact wire. In U.S. Pat. No. 918,761 to Mayer atrolley wire suspender is disclosed. This device consists of a resilientbar of decreasing cross sectional area to which the trolley wire isrigidly attached through a series of clips that completely encircle thewire. Although the device bends in the horizontal and vertical planes,FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show clip 4 and clip 7 encircling the contact wire ina manner where the current collector would contact the wire and theclip. Such clips shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 do not allow the use of atrolley wheel or sliding shoe. A variation of these clips is devised, asshown in FIG. 6, for the use of a FIG. 8 or grooved contact wire. Twoseparate and distinct clip variations must be employed for currentcollectors to which Mayer refers as a bow or a wheel. This is synonymouswith the pantograph or trolley pole current collector of today. Mayerdiscloses in FIG. 1 a flexible bar that in a preferred embodimentdecreases in cross section from the center towards the ends in a mannerto achieve an approximately uniform curvature. Due to the greater crosssection in the plan and side elevated views at the suspension pointreferred to as perforated ear 2, the middle point of the device (2) isless flexible than at other points along suspender bar 1 and in factcannot have equal curvatures along its length due to varying thicknessesof cross section.

In Mayer the trolley wire suspender is attached by one point at 2, asshown in FIGS. 1 and 5 and is designed to act only as a suspender inthat the forces applied from the contact wire in a vertical curve pulldown and do not push up.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,342,242 to Birch discloses a Conductor Support that isdirectional in that it is intended for the current collector to travelin one direction only, as described as the approach half A and theleaving half B, and the invention of Birch is intended for normaltrolley wire construction with round trolley wire using clinch ears.Birch describes the current collectors making a too abrupt passage fromthe leaving end of the ear and injuries to the trolley wire result. WithBirch, the leaving end B of the clinch ear is altered, as shown in FIG.8, so that the trolley wire can flex out of the ear as the ear rotatesdue to the passage of the current collector. Although FIG. 2 shows avertical angle to the contact wire at the suspension point, it is notdue to the overall suspension of the contact wire at the crest of avertical curve but to the rotation of the clinch ear around a fixedpoint which is hanger 3 attached to span wire 4. The invention of Birchis not designed for either vertical or horizontal curves of the contactwire but a means to alleviate the wearing out of the contact wire atleaving end B of the clinch ear.

U.S. Pat. No. 499,167 to R. M. Hunter discloses a trolley wire curvewhere the main wires indicated as C in FIG. 1 carry the tension in thecontact line. Around the curve indicated as A, a second or working wireE is suspended under main wire D. The invention is intended to preventwearing of the main wire as the trolley wheel L runs on the surface ofconductor C, F and E but does not touch the main conductor. Hunterfurther states that by use of this construction, a more rigid anddurable curve is produced. Hunter's invention is a device to prevent thewearing of the main contact wire around a conventional curve held inplace with standard pullovers. It does not relate to combinations ofvertical and horizontal curves of the contact wire but only to holdingthe conductor in place which has a secondary working conductor suspendedfrom it. The extreme ends of Wire E have inclined castings F which joinworking wire E to main wire D. The slope produced by this casting F canbe of sufficient gradient to cause a pantograph to skip off the wire dueto speed and cause an electric arc on the wire. Arcing will degrade thecross section of the wire, leading to accelerated wear and fracture.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,491,973 to R. P. Hanna discloses a Conductor Support inwhich the device is designed to act as a pulloff for contact wires incurved segments. The disclosed invention is designed for contact wirepulloffs on curves in the horizontal plane only and cannot be adaptedfor use as a vertical conductor support as the conductor support member14 has trolley wire clamps 15 attached to it in a horizontalorientation. The adjustability of the device for various curve angleshas a preset range as indicated in FIG. 1 by solid pictorial lines andbroken pictorial lines. The device cannot be used at zero degrees or anycombination from zero to the preset minimum angle. Angle variations,once the device is set, cannot be accommodated without making anadjustment to tension member 30 which adjustment is accomplished byloosening nuts 33 on threaded end portion 32 to let the rod out slightlyfrom opening 28 on pulloff means 17.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed herein provides a means and method by which acontact wire experiencing an abrupt change in line angle at the crest ortrough of a vertical curve or other locations requiring a change incontact wire angles is smoothed out by changing the angle to a curve,parabolic in nature and of such radius that it becomes radial. Thisdisclosed invention further creates a suspension that is elastic andflexible and where a vertical and horizontal curve of the contact areencountered simultaneously. The disclosed invention has a consistentcross section so that curvature bending cannot be decreased at thesuspension point, and it is consistent throughout the length of thedevice. The adjustment of line angle is automatic, and no devices needto be altered. The invention can be used in both the horizontal andvertical planes for curvature in one of the variations. The main contactwire conforms to the curve of the track or of the roadway in a series ofsmall angles through the bending action of the flexible bar or rod, andthe current collector passes through the device without leaving the maincontact wire. The adjustment of line angle is automatic, and no devicesneed to be altered. The invention can be used in both the horizontal andvertical planes for curvature in one of the variations.

The invention may be summarized as a device and method that takes theabrupt angle change of a contact wire at the crest point or trough pointof a vertical curve and alters the angle to a smooth parabolic arcthrough a series of small angles on the contact wire which do not impedethe action of the current collector traveling along the contact wire.The device provides an elastic suspension where it reacts to the upwardpressure of the current collector by rising up so that a hard spot isnot encountered and an elastic suspension is achieved. For the verticalcurve bar at the crest of a vertical curve where tangent construction isencountered in that no horizontal angle deviation occurs, the device hasa series of trolley clamp ears attached directly to the curve bar. Thebar has two hanger wires attached to it which rise directly above thebar and attach to a line insulator forming a Vee shape. The connectionof the hanging wires from the line insulator to the curve rail barallows the bar to bend in such a fashion that a curve, parabolic shapeand symmetrical on both ends to the center is forced providing a smoothcurve and transition of the contact wire at one end through thesuspension point to the other end. Where a horizontal curve isencountered at the vertical curve, the curve rail bar is suspended inthe same manner and a parabolic shape is produced in the bar, but eachtrolley clamp is replaced with a curve bow that rotates about itsconnection point to the curve rail bar which has trolley wire clampsattached to them. Such curve bows with contact wire clamps areidentified as prior art and in use in a different method of suspensionbut when used with this invention achieve simultaneous vertical andhorizontal curvature suspension. The horizontal curvature is achieved byallowing the vertical curve rail to pull the contact wire in such amanner that it achieves an inclination of various degrees due to avertical dead load component and a horizontal curve pull component witha resultant angle of inclination. As the current collector passes underthe device, the device is lifted up slightly due to its elasticsuspension and the current collector passes without burn or arc. Thevertical curve of the contact wire is shaped into a parabolic curvethrough a series of small angles providing a smooth transition for thecurrent collector from contact wire to device back to the contact wireas no abrupt angle is encountered. To activate this, the maximum contactwire angle at each clamp should not exceed 2 degrees so that the contactwire deviation on each side of the clamp is one degree. This angleallows the pressure of the current collector's upward force at eachclamp to lift it so that this angle, produced from the device in thestatic position with no current collector traveling under it, isnullified and no resulting angle is encountered allowing the currentcollector to travel through the device as if the contact wire were asmooth curve. Additional contact wire clamps can be added betweenexisting clamps and attached to the bar to decrease the angle at eachclamp to 2 degrees. For a 30 degree line angle, 15 clamps would berequired. When the vertical curve rail is used at the trough of avertical curve where there is no horizontal curve pull, the device mustbe attached to a hold down device of various types that will keep thedevice in place when the vertical curve rail is supported in thismanner. Elasticity is achieved either through a spring suspender thatattaches the curve rail bar or by connection to an elastic arm wellknown to those skilled in the field of overhead lines but which is notpart of the disclosure and is identified as prior art.

These may be attached to a fixed structure such as a bracket arm, bridgeor tunnel ceiling. The curve rail bar assumes a parabolic shapesymmetrical on both ends to the center providing a smooth transition ofthe contact wire at the suspension point.

When the vertical curve rail is used at the trough of a vertical curvewhen a horizontal curve is encountered, the curve rail bar consists of acircular bar of spring material which in one version can be threadedthat can deflect and bend in angles and planes in relation to its centeraxis and is attached at its center to a twin elastic arm assembly thatrestrains the device from the upward force of the contact wire verticalcurve while providing elasticity and resiliency from the upward force ofthe current collector. In this way it can be used as a resilient holddown device for a vertical curve with horizontal curve pull. The clampears are attached to a stud with tubular ring for fixing to the circularcurve rail bar. The range of vertical angle in this variation is thesame as with the rectangular bar. In still another variation, thecontact wire clamp ear is composed of two halves which clamp against thegroove of the contact wire and around the vertical curve rail rod. Thetwo half clamps are pulled together and held in place by a hollow hexscrew similar to that on the clamp ear with boss and stud. It can beoriented on the rod so that its vertical axis is perpendicular to thetrack or roadway plane or rotated in any desired angle.

Where the vertical curve rail assembly is affixed to a hold down spanwhere two parallel span wires are typically employed, the curve railassembly utilizes a spring rod, either smooth or threaded, which has thecapacity to bend in all directions without distortion or permanence andis able to flex to conform to the vertical line angle. Additionalflexibility is achieved at the suspension point where it is attached tothe hold down spans and by using a very flexible spring rod insertedinto a rigid pipe of short length to which the hold down spans areattached.

The hold down spans can have extensive force applied to counteract theupward force of the trough vertical line angle requiring the suspensionattachment to be strong and stiff with resistance to bending. To achieveboth stiffness and flexibility, a suspender pipe is used to support thevertical curve rail rod to the hold down spans. Through the ends of thesuspender are suspender spring rods which flex under the weight or forceof the contact wire and the line angle created by it. The suspenderallows the vertical curve rail rod to deflect and form a curve,parabolic in form with the ends having flexibility. The flexibility atthe ends of the main rod and the suspender spring rods is self adjustingand can form whatever angle the contact wire line angle conforms to. Italso provides flexibility in that as the current collector passes ontoand through the device, it lifts slightly due to deflection of the mainrod and the suspender spring rod, achieving elasticity. The contact wireattaches to the main rod by a contact wire clamp ear that is screwedonto the boss of a sliding clamp. The sliding clamp is positioned on themain rod and fixed onto it by set screws. The maximum contact wire angleat each clamp should not exceed 2 degrees so that the contact wiredeviation on each side of the clamp is one degree. This angle allows thepressure of the current collector's upward force at each clamp to liftit so that the angle produced from the device in the static positionwith no current collector traveling under it is nullified and noresulting angle is encountered, allowing the current collector to travelthrough the device as if the contact wire were a smooth curve.Additional sliding clamps or split clamps can be added between existingclamps and attached to the main rod to decrease the angle at each clampto 2 degrees. For a 30 degree line angle, 15 clamps would be required.

The deflection of the suspender spring rod can be changed by placing astiffener pipe which has internal threads and screwing it onto and alongthe suspender spring rod which is threaded so that it butts up againstthe suspender pipe. The length of the stiffener pipe controls thestiffness of the suspender spring rod by altering its ability todeflect. A longer secondary suspender pipe creates a stiffer suspenderspring rod while a shorter stiffener pipe allows more flexibility. Theupward force created by the vertical line angle can thus be counteractedso that the vertical curve rail assembly “D” can be at equilibrium andmaintain flexibility so that the contact line becomes elastic in naturewhile held in place.

In still another method that the flexibility of the suspender spring rodcan be adjusted to gain more stiffness is by moving the curve rail rodclamp with boss closer to the suspender pipe so that the suspenderspring rod is effectively shortened. This method can be coupled withutilization of the stiffener pipe to further decrease the flexibility ofthe suspender spring rod.

The suspender spring rod is held in place at the stiffener pipe by locknuts which are threaded and turned onto the suspender spring rod andtightened up against the stiffener pipe on both ends of it. Thestiffener pipe, after being screwed onto the suspender spring rod andbutting up against the suspender lock nut, is secured in place with locknuts at its end.

The invention disclosed provides a means of abrupt angle remediation atthe crest and trough of vertical curves while maintaining an elasticityand resiliency when a horizontal curve is encountered in the verticalcurve. The features and advantages of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from the Description of the Preferred Embodiment(s) takenwith the drawings which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevational view of an embodiment of thedevice of this invention at the crest of a vertical curve withouthorizontal curve pull.

FIG. 1A illustrates an enlarged side elevational view of half of anembodiment at the crest of a vertical curve without horizontal curvepull.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side elevational view of an embodiment of thedevice of this invention at the trough of a vertical curve withouthorizontal curve pull.

FIG. 2A illustrates an enlarged side elevational view of half of anembodiment at the trough of a vertical curve without horizontal curvepull.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side elevational view of an embodiment of thedevice of this invention at the crest of a vertical curve withhorizontal side pull.

FIG. 3A illustrates an enlarged side elevational view of half of anembodiment at the crest of a vertical curve with horizontal side pull.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side elevational view of an embodiment of thedevice of this invention at the trough of a vertical curve withhorizontal curve pull.

FIG. 4A illustrates an enlarged side elevational view of half of anembodiment at the trough of a vertical curve with horizontal side pull.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross sectional view of an embodiment of FIG. 1A atsection A-A at the crest of a vertical curve at the connection of thebar to the contact wire where it is fixed and bolted tight and FIG. 2 atsection A-A at the trough of a vertical curve at the connection of thebar to the contact wire where it is fixed and bolted tight.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 2Aat section B-B showing an elastic arm attached to the curve rail.

FIG. 7 illustrates a cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 atsection C-C showing an eye nut attached to the curve rail bar forholding the curve bow and contact wire clamps.

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 3Aat section D-D where two eye nuts are secured to each other to the curverail bar for holding the curve bow and contact wire clamps.

FIG. 9 illustrates a cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 18Aat section E-E where a circular clamp is put over the curve rail rod forattaching a contact wire clamp ear to its stud.

FIG. 10 illustrates a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 10where an elastic arm, tunnel arm or resilient arm is attached to thecurve rail rod.

FIG. 11 illustrates a cross sectional view through section A-A of FIG.2A where additional resiliency and/or spring nuts is/are required.

FIG. 12 illustrates a cross sectional view through section A-A of theembodiment of FIG. 2A where additional resiliency and/or spring nutsis/are required.

FIG. 13 illustrates a plan view of the vertical curve rail with flexiblebar with a horizontal line angle.

FIG. 14 illustrates a side elevational view of the vertical curve railat the crest of a vertical curve with a combined horizontal curve.

FIG. 15 illustrates a side view of a detail of the hanger wire with looptermination.

FIG. 16 illustrates a cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 18Aat section F-F showing a rod at a clamp location.

FIG. 17 illustrates a side view of a section of the vertical curve railwith rod at the elastic arm.

FIG. 18 illustrates a side elevational view of the vertical curve railat the trough of a vertical curve at a hold down span with a suspenderpipe.

FIG. 18A illustrates an enlarged side elevational view of half of anembodiment of the vertical curve at a hold down span with a suspenderpipe.

FIG. 19 illustrates a cross sectional view of a section of the suspenderpipe and suspender spring rod of the vertical curve rail at thesuspender pipe clamp.

FIG. 20 illustrates a side elevational view of the suspender pipe andsuspender spring rod in deflection and with means to change deflectionshown in three views.

FIG. 21 illustrates a side cross sectional view of stiffener pipe inrelation to the suspender pipe and suspender spring rod.

FIG. 22 illustrates a side elevational view of the suspender pipe andsuspender spring rod with rod coupling and suspender spring rodextension.

FIG. 23 illustrates an enlarged side elevational view of half of anembodiment of the vertical rail rod at a hold down span with a suspenderpipe with additional trolley wire clamps to decrease the angles at thecontact wire clamps.

FIG. 24 illustrates a side elevational view of the curve rail rod withmultiple contact wire split clamps for decreasing the angle at thecontact wire clamps.

FIG. 25 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 24of the vertical curve rail rod at section G-G at a split contact wireclamp location.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

The vertical curve rail can be used for four different suspension modes,i.e. (1) vertical curve at crest only; (2) vertical curve at crest withhorizontal curve; (3) vertical curve at trough only; and (4) verticalcurve at trough with horizontal curve.

With regard to the first mode, being a vertical curve with no horizontalcurve as shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A, contact wire 1 is attached to contactwire clamps 3 that are bolted to curve bar 2. Curve bar 2 and contactwire clamps 3 which hold contact wire 1 are suspended by hanger wires 6that are looped and secured at their terminations. Hanger wire 6B whichholds hanger wires 6A is secured by its loop 10 at a line insulator 7which can be attached to support span member 11. Support span member 11can also be a bracket arm pipe, tunnel or bridge ceiling or other methodof holding line insulator 7. Hanger wires 6A transfer to hanger wire 6Band line insulator 7 the force of the vertical line angle developed bycontact wire 1 onto curve rail bar 2. This vertical line angle isderived from the abrupt change in direction of contact wire 1 which issubstantially reduced and smoothed out due to the curvature created incurve rail bar 2. The location of eye nut 5 from the centerline of thecurve rail bar 2 allows curve rail bar 2, as seen in FIG. 1, to take theshape of a parabolic curve where ends become a spiral curve to allow agradual change of curve radius into the constant curve radius. Redriveforces imparted onto the curve bar drive transition from tangent tocurve. The parabolic shape created in curve rail bar 2 from thepositioning of suspension eye nuts 5 reduces input from the forces ofthe current collector as it rides along the tangent contact wire 1 atposition 1 and transitions along contact wire 1 of vertical curve railassembly, as shown in FIG. 1, to position 2 through the assembly toposition 3 and back onto tangent contact wire 1 at position 4.

With regard to the second mode, namely, at the crest of a vertical curvewith a horizontal curve imparted into it, the vertical curve railassembly 15, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A, takes two positions, as seen inFIGS. 3, 3A and 14. In FIG. 14, an inclination angle 16 is produced dueto the horizontal curve force pull P which acts against the dead weightW of the entire assembly 15 where the geometric component of theresultant force R creates a resultant angle, also called inclinationangle 16. Contact wire clamp for curve bow 13 can be adjusted on thecurve bow rod so that it sits vertical or at another angle to the trackor roadway plane. This arrangement allows a trolley pole currentcollector to ride through the clamp without undue disturbance as theclamp can be adjusted so that its sides are parallel to the collectorsshoe of the trolley pole or vertical to the pantograph currentcollector. A resilient or soft suspension which prevents contact wirewear results due to this inclination angle 16. As the force of thepassing current collector pushes up against curve rail assembly 15,shown in FIGS. 3 and 14, a new inclination angle is provided by thelifting of curve rail assembly 15. This new inclination angle 16A doesnot change vertical line angle 17 as this is determined by theconstruction of the overhead line. As the current collector passesthrough vertical curve rail assembly 15 and no longer exerts a forceagainst it, the assembly lowers into its static position and inclinationangle 16 is reestablished.

With regard to the third mode where there is a trough of a verticalcurve only, the vertical curve rail, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A, acts asa hold down for contact wire 1 where the vertical line angle 17 createsan upward force which vertical curve rail assembly 24 counteracts. Curverail bar 2 is held in place by the use of elastic arms 9 due to theirability to counteract uplift while maintaining elasticity and allows thevertical curve rail assembly to maintain stability when no currentcollectors are traversing under it. As the current collector passes fromcontact wire 1 onto assembly 24, and along to the center of theassembly, assembly 14 rises from the upward force of the currentcollector cresting elastic suspension and a smooth travel path for thecurrent collector. This is achieved due to the transfer of upward forcesfrom vertical line angle 17 to elastic arms 9 which act as a resilientspring. The location of elastic arms 9 in the assembly allows curve railbar 2 to attain a curvature, as shown in FIG. 2, that of a paraboliccurve which is more fully described under the description of the firstmode. Additional resiliency can be achieved by substituting the clamparrangement, as shown in FIG. 5, with the clamp arrangement shown inFIG. 11 or FIG. 12. In FIG. 11 contact wire clamp 3 has placed in itsboss 35 a threaded rod 25 which protrudes through a hole in curve railbar 2. This view shows the use of bellevue spring washers on the top andbottom of the curve rail bar with the contact wire clamp ear studinserted between them. A set of bellevue spring washers 27 are placed onthe top and bottom of curve rail bar 2 so that the stud 25 for clamp earprotrudes through the hole of the washers. Two nuts 26 are turned onstud 25 and tightened against the top bellevue spring washer 27 so thatthe boss 35 of contact wire clamp ear 3 bares against the bottombellevue spring washer 27, allowing constrained movement of contact wireclamp 3 in the vertical curve rail bar 2. When the upward force of thecurrent collector passes under it, the movement of vertical curve railassembly 24 is enhanced by the ability of additional contact wiremovement due to the resiliency of the bellevue spring washers 27 shownin FIG. 11. This additional resiliency can also be achieved with thesubstitution of the clamp arrangement shown in FIG. 5 with the clamparrangement shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 12 shows the use of a helical coilspring between the top of the contact wire clamp ear and the bottom ofthe curve rail bar. In this arrangement contact wire clamp 3 has placedin its boss 35 a threaded rod 32 which provides through a hole in curverail bar 2 a helical coil spring 29 is placed over the threaded rod 32and that rod is inserted into the hole in vertical curve rail bar 2. Twonuts 26 are turned on threaded rod 32 to pull contact wire clamp 3towards vertical curve rail bar 2 to tighten coil spring 29. The amountof stiffness of the spring is determined by how close it is to thebottom of vertical curve rail bar 2. When in place, the upward force ofthe current collector passing underneath vertical curve rail assembly 24experiences additional resiliency due to the enhanced contact wiremovement due to the resiliency of helical coil spring 29 shown in FIG.12.

With regard to the fourth mode where there is a trough of a verticalcurve with a horizontal curve, the vertical curve rail, as shown in FIG.4, FIG. 4A and FIG. 13, acts as a “hold down” and a pulloversimultaneously for contact wire 1, the vertical line angle 17 creates anupward force which vertical curve rail assembly “C” counteracts, whilesimultaneously counteracting horizontal line angle 23 which is alsocreated by contact wire 1. The line angles 17 and 23 cause rod 30 tobend vertically and horizontally. A series of special clamps 20 slideover rod 30 and lock into place with set screw 22, as shown in FIG. 16and FIG. 9. As seen in FIGS. 16 and 17 clamp 21 is positioned on the barat the elastic arms where boss 37 of clamp 21 allows a threaded rod 32to be turned into it. Threaded rod 32 is secured into the end of elasticarm 18 by two nuts 33 and 48 tightened against the top end of elasticarm 18. First nut 33 is turned down tight and second nut 48 is turneddown tight onto the first nut 33 and used as a locking nut. The endfitting 18 of elastic arm 9 is adjustable so that the vertical plane ofthe vertical curve rail with rod can be made perpendicular to the superelevated track plane. A clamp 3 is attached to sliding clamps 20 and 21which clamp onto contact wire 1.

When clearance between the rod 30 and the tunnel, ceiling, bridge orother attachment point for elastic arms 9, as seen in FIG. 3, does notallow the use of elastic arms 9 due to restricted vertical or horizontalclearance, elastic arm 9 can be substituted with suspender spring rod 39and suspender pipe 38 which provide resiliency and support for verticalcurve rail assembly D, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 18A. This version canalso be used with hold down span wires. With this version, suspenderpipe 38 has suspender pipe clamp 40 placed over it so that a means forattachment can be secured to its boss 42 by a bolted connection orattachment of a line insulator 7. Suspender spring rod 39, which forthis version is threaded, is inserted into suspender pipe 38 andprotrudes beyond it for a predetermined distance in that its length Lcreates the required resiliency with sufficient stiffness to produce therequired deflection D, as shown in FIG. 20. The length L of suspenderspring rod 39 remains constant but its amount of deflection can bealtered by reducing the deflection length L. To achieve a reduction indeflection, a stiffener pipe 43 with internal threads is screwed ontosuspender spring rod 39 whose exterior threads 45 match and arecompatible with internal threads 44, as shown in FIG. 21. The reducedlength L has less deflection for the same applied weight or force W thatthe vertical curve rail assembly D must balance. This is shown in FIG.20 where view A shows the full length L of suspender spring rod 39 withfull deflection D from weight W. View B shows reduced deflection lengthL, and subsequent deflection D, from weight W by the addition ofstiffener pipe 43 and suspender rod nut 41. View C shows the same resultbut decreases the deflection length L to L₂ by positioning curve railrod clamp with stud 20 so that it is closer to stiffener pipe 43 where asmaller deflection D₂ results without altering the length of suspenderspring rod 39. Consequently, to achieve an increase in deflection, rodcoupling 46 is screwed onto the end of suspender spring rod 39, andsuspender spring rod extension 47 is screwed into rod coupling 46 toextend the length of the suspender spring rod to a length L₃, thusachieving the ability for greater deflection. Curve rail rod clamp withstud 20 is placed over suspender spring rod extension 47, as shown inFIG. 22.

Although the present invention has been described with reference toparticular embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat variations and modifications can be substituted therefor withoutdeparting from the principles and spirit of the invention.

I claim:
 1. A suspension apparatus attached to a support span member foroverhead contact wires subjected to abrupt contact wire angle changes atthe crest of a vertical curve and also where a horizontal curve in thecontact wire also occurs simultaneously, said apparatus comprising: acurve rail bar of spring material curvable to match the curve of saidvertical and horizontal curves; a plurality of bar clamps each having atop and a bottom, said bar clamps supporting said contact wire at saidcrest of said vertical curve and with a horizontal curve for eliminatingthe abrupt angle of said contact wire; a support wire having first andsecond ends, said first end attached to said support span member; firstand second upper eye nuts and a plurality of lower eye nuts, eachattached to said curve rail bar; first and second hanger wires, eachhaving first and second ends, said first ends attached to said secondend of said support wire and said second ends attached, respectively, tosaid first upper eye nut and said second upper eye nut; said hangerwires forming a V-shape, said curve rail bar being formed in a curve ofa varying radius smoothing out said abrupt angle change in said contactwire, said curve rail bar being flexible in nature to conform to curvesof different degree, where said curve rail bar bends smoothly from saidupper eye nuts; a plurality of bows, each having first and second endsand a midpoint, each having a top and a bottom, each attached at themidpoint to a selected one of said lower eye nuts; said plurality of barclamps, each having a top and a bottom, each being attached at the topeither to said first or second end of each bow and attached at thebottom to said contact wire, said contact wire being adjusted about saidbows to lie perpendicular to said track or roadway, said apparatus dueto an inclination, able to rotate about the suspension point axis sothat the apparatus rises as the current collector passes, creating asoft suspension and eliminating hard spots and accelerated wear of saidcontact wire; and said apparatus supporting said contact wire at thecrest of said vertical curve where said curve rail bar is bending belowsaid upper eye nuts to form a curve having a center axis, parabolic inform and symmetrical about a center axis smoothing out the abruptvertical wire angles while simultaneously acting as a pullover for thehorizontal curve imparted at said vertical curve's crest, said apparatushanging at an inclined angle due to the resultant force created by theweight and downward force of said contact wire at said vertical curveand said horizontal pullover force created by the horizontal contactwire's angle.
 2. The suspension apparatus of claim 1 wherein said curverail bar is rectangular in cross-section.
 3. A suspension method forattaching a contact wire to a support span member for overhead contactwires subjected to abrupt contact wire angle changes at the crest and/ortrough of a vertical curve and also where a horizontal curve in thecontact wire also occurs simultaneously, comprising the steps of:providing a curved flexible rail bar of spring material; curving saidcurve rail bar to match the curve of said vertical and horizontalcurves; providing a plurality of bar clamps each having a top and abottom; supporting said contact wire with said bar clamps at said crestof said vertical curve and with a horizontal curve for eliminating theabrupt angle of said contact wire; providing a support wire having firstand second ends; attaching said first end of said support wire to saidsupport span member; providing first and second upper eye nuts and aplurality of lower eye nuts, each attached to said curve rail bar;providing first and second hanger wires, each having first and secondends; attaching said first ends of said hanger wires to said second endof said support wire and said second ends of said hanger wires,respectively, to said first upper eye nut and said second upper eye nut;forming said hanger wires into a V-shape; forming said curve rail bar ina curve of a varying radius smoothing out said abrupt angle change insaid contact wire, said curve rail bar being flexible in nature toconform to curves of different degree, where said curve rail bar bendssmoothly from said upper eye nuts; providing a plurality of bows, eachhaving first and second ends and a midpoint, each having a top and abottom, each attached at the midpoint to a selected one of said lowereye nuts; attaching said plurality of bar clamps at the top either tosaid first or second end of each bow and at the bottom to said contactwire; adjusting said contact wire about said bows to lie perpendicularto said track or roadway; rotating said apparatus due to an inclinationabout its suspension point axis so that the apparatus rises as thecurrent collector passes, creating a soft suspension and eliminatinghard spots and accelerated wear of said contact wire; supporting saidcontact wire at the crest of said vertical curve where said curve railbar is bending below said upper eye nuts to form a curve having a centeraxis, parabolic in form and symmetrical about a center axis; smoothingout the abrupt vertical wire angles while simultaneously acting as apullover for the horizontal curve imparted at said vertical curve'screst; and hanging said apparatus at an inclined angle due to theresultant force created by the weight and downward force of said contactwire at said vertical curve and said horizontal pullover force createdby the horizontal contact wire's angle.